Candy Industry.com
By Curtis Vreeland
Please find a link to the article Here
Maple syrup, nuts, honey, salt and a whiff of campfire smoke; it sounds
like the items for a dinner prepared by pioneers of yore. Rather, these
are trending flavors and ingredients for today’s premium chocolate and
confections. It’s, like, forward into the past.
So what’s making the evolution of confectionery product development bend back to its elemental roots?
“With Millennials driving over 93% penetration on the Internet, they
are clearly influencing every level. They appear aligned and focused on a
strong belief system that centers on labeling transparency and consumer
trust for only clean-labeled ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ foods,” explains
Blue Pacific Flavors’ CEO Donald Wilkes.
And emphasis on clean labels was very apparent at the PMCA annual
production conference last month in Lancaster, Pa. Many of the
exhibitors, including Blue Pacific, were exhibiting their new natural
flavors and colors.
After all, their clients are demanding them.
Many top food brands have announced plans to reformulate their products
to ditch artificial ingredients, reduce sugar levels and simplify the
ingredients lists. This change is in response to consumer demand, 62
percent of whom prefer minimally processed foods and 53 percent seek
foods made with recognizable ingredients, according to a recent Natural
Marketing Institute survey.
Two recent announcements by major food manufacturers underscore how
quickly this reformulation is taking place. By year’s end, both Nestlé
(all chocolate candy products) and Kraft (its iconic Macaroni and Cheese) will remove all artificial colors and flavors.
These product reformulations were made possible by closing the gap in
shade, stability and cost between natural and artificial colors,
explains Gale Myers, technical services manager at Sensient Color. The
color palette was significantly broadened when the FDA approved
spirulina (blue) and iron oxide (red, yellow and black). “These newly
permitted colors complete the palette of primary colors necessary to
create better purples, pinks and blue shades.”
Sensient, and other color ingredient specialists, are also hard at work
developing consumer preferred alternatives to caramel and food grade
titanium dioxide, even though the risk to health for caramel and food
grade titanium dioxide has not been established.
“This is interesting because in the past, many branded food companies
took a more conservative wait-and-see approach when these issues came to
the forefront. In today’s environment, where Vani Hari (AKA the Food
Babe) can be considered by Time magazine as one of the most
influential people on the Internet, caution is not as well rewarded as
it was in the past,” Steve Morris, general manager for Sensient’s Market
Trends, posted on the company website.
Meeting consumer expectations to reduce sugar levels in traditionally
sugar-ladened confections will require ingenuity. For Blue Pacific’s
Wilkes, that goal means totally “reimagining” the production process.
Aiming to lower by 50 percent the sugar in milk chocolate, his company
is experimenting with reducing cocoa’s bitterness, and hence the need
for sugar, by adding MycoSmooth, a mushroom-based fermentation process developed by MycoTechnology.
Back to old-time sweeteners
Another trend is replacing artificial sweeteners with natural,
alternative sweeteners. It’s an effort that can only accelerate, given
that artificial sweeteners have recently been linked to childhood
obesity and diet-related conditions like type 2 diabetes. At least
that’s what the medical finding published recently in Appetite, an international research journal specializing in behavioral nutrition, suggests.
Sensing an opportunity for natural sweeteners, Firmenich has designated
honey as its 2015 flavor of the year. Company literature extols honey’s
attributes as imparting “a unique flavor impression that romances
consumers of all ages.” Its flavor profiles, like wine, are influenced
by terroir and season. And honey fits into the consumer zeitgeist of
both artisanal and locally sourced foods and a better-for-you sweetener.
Firmenich offers ten natural honey flavors, in liquid and powder form.
Senior Food Technologist Eileen Bielenberg advises that these honey
flavors can work “across the whole confectionery gamut.”
Blending honey with chile is a trending flavor variant. “The ‘bee sting
sauce’ as it’s sometimes called, has become the hottest condiment since
sriracha,” notes Sandy Cook, of Firmenich, in an interview in the
February issue of the World of Food Ingredients magazine.
Another old-school natural sweetener receiving attention is maple.
Frank Calabro, senior technologist with David Michael Flavors, reports
the resurgence of old school maple sugar candies. That flavor seems to
be driving the popularity of two-time SOFI award winning Tonewood’s
maple products: the Maple Cube and Maple Wafer.
In a more complex sensory spin, Calabro anticipates more confections
with maple-vanilla-bacon flavors. While bacon in confectionery
applications is no stranger, the addition of maple evokes nostalgic
Sunday morning pancake breakfasts. Chuao Chocolatier, always a trend
setter, relaunched its Baconluxious Bar this January and it is
one of the company’s best sellers, reports Brooke Feldman,
communications director. According to the label, the bar contains
“delicate maple sweetness, a sprinkle of bonfire smoked sea salt and
crispy, uncured bacon in milk chocolate.”
A variation on the maple theme is maple and sea salt. Snack maker SuperSeedz has just launched Maple Sugar & Sea Salt,
pumpkin seeds seasoned with maple sugar and unrefined sea salt. “It had
to be Vermont maple sugar. We tested it in a small batch; everyone who
tried it loved it. The rest is history,” reports President Joe
Pelliccio. He anticipates that this flavor will become one of his
best-selling snacks.
Savory sizzles
And speaking of salt, interest in specialty salts is booming.
Confectioners and chocolatiers are venturing beyond generic sea salt to
explore the rich flavor, texture and color diversity available with
single origin and flavored salts.
At SaltWorks, a leading specialty salt provider, its confectioner and
chocolatier customer base has quadrupled within the past 12 months,
reports sales and media relations specialist Megan O’Keefe. She listed
the company’s most popular categories for sweet applications as being
flakey salts (like Artisan Cyprus Flake), French sea salts (such as Sel Gris, Tamise grain), Himalayan Pink salt, spicy sea salts (like Fusion Habanero Heat) and smoked sea salts (Robusto Extra Bold Smoked among others).
“The spicy/sweet combination of sea salt and habanero or chipotle is a
wonderful balance of sweet, salty and spicy that is really popular right
now, both in topping and inclusion applications; while the smoked sea
salt can enhance the richer nuances in milk and dark chocolates and
caramels,” reports O’Keefe.
What salt flavor might be tomorrow’s star? O’Keefe’s choice is Fusion
Thai Ginger salt. To overcome any initial reluctance, “just a sprinkle
over some vanilla ice cream will start imaginations and ideas rolling!”
Going one step beyond bacon, which might be prudent, Rose Potts
foretells more jerky-flavored confections. Blommer Chocolate’s
Corporate Manager of Sensory and Products Guidance ticked off two of
jerky’s benefits: it’s softer in texture and Hershey’s recent purchase
of Krave will drive up consumer interest. Adding to Potts,
jerky has several elements in its favor: a source of protein, very
paleo-friendly and a bona fide man food, a definite attraction given
that these days more men are doing the shopping.
And rising consumer interest is driving this category’s premiumization trend. A case in point: Epic Provision’s Chicken Sesame BBQ Bar.
This 2015 SOFI finalist is flavored with Asian-inspired sesame barbecue
spice and, according to the manufacturer, is the world’s first
chicken-based protein bar.
Another confectionery flavor trend is going up in smoke. Literally.
Looking around the current batch of gourmet food shows, it seems that
everything is getting smoked. To add a seductive beckoning allure to
their products, the smokers call out the type of firewood: hickory,
alder, or “bonfire” (whatever that means) as with the Chuaos’ Baconluxious Bar.
In my coverage of the 2014 summer Fancy Food Show, for example, I profiled Quin Candy’s Smoked Cola Gumdrops,
containing alder wood smoked sugar. Owner/ confectioner Jami Curl says
that this flavor, which is very popular with her male customers, is
meant to evoke nostalgic memories of Coca Cola. Last year’s SOFI
winners included Sticky Toffee Pudding Company’s Millionaire Shortbread with Smoked Hickory Sea Salt (SOFI gold) and Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery’s Smoked Chocolate Chips (SOFI silver). Potts has sniffed out other creative examples: smoked olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, and raspberries.
Then it’s not surprising to learn that the 2015 McCormick Flavor Forecast includes
smoked spices among its eight flavor trends to watch. “Smoking spices
and herbs deepens their flavor and aroma, adding richness to meals and
drinks,” notes the report.
Health, texture in a nutshell
Sales of specialty nuts are also booming, driven by consumers’ desire
for healthier snacking and plant-based sources of protein. In fact,
proposed 2015 federal dietary guidelines recommends a diet containing
more nuts and seeds as “more health promoting and is associated with
less environmental impact” than the typical American diet that relies
upon red and processed meat.
From the state that produces 80% of world almond production, the Almond
Board of California has engaged in a marketing campaign that has
cracked the market. Between 2009 and 2013, for example, global almond
confectionery introductions grew by 23.3%, according to Innova Market
Insights. By 2013, 31% of all chocolate consumed globally contained
almonds, the Sterling Rice Group estimated. In short, “almonds and
chocolate go hand and hand,” says Harbinder Maan, the board’s senior
marketing manager.
Not to be outdone, the Turkish Hazelnut Promotion Group has also been
actively promoting its nut. Stephanie Ries Kazan, U.S. marketing manager
for the Turkish Hazelnut Promotion Group, ticked off that nut’s
advantages: heart-healthy, pairs perfectly with chocolate and has a
versatile flavor that works well in both sweet and savory applications.
“You can do so much with Turkish hazelnuts because they come in an
array of forms from whole, to diced, to paste; and their flavor can be
customized by using different roasting techniques,” she says. In fact,
Mintel ranked hazelnut-flavored chocolate confections among its top 10
U.S. new product flavors from 2009 to 2014.
Among general trending flavors for confectionery products, Sensient’s
Technical Services Manager Aminah Lewis has spotted “exotic fruits
(notably super fruits), vegetable flavors and zippy citrus flavors.”
An example of “zippy” citrus flavors is Torie & Howard’s Sweet Meyer Lemon & Tart Fresh Raspberries Organic Hard Candy, a 2015 SOFI finalist.
For the snacks and soft chewy candy categories, there are several
trending flavors of note. These include combinations of heat and sweet
for adults and citrus flavors (including lemonade and other familiar
sweet types) for kids, suggests Givaudan Flavors Senior Food Scientist
Cynthia Angelo.
To make these two candy categories more nutritious, Blue Pacific
Flavors has developed several natural plant-based flavor modifiers and
whole food ingredient solutions. These products include SimplyGrains, Whole Oat Paste, Ricelife, Salba Chia seeds and low-water activity Soft-Fruits. Additionally, the company’s Farm Stand Farm to Flavor offers real whole food fruit flavors.
As we know, chefs and food TV are major influencers of confectionery
flavor trends. So what’s trending on restaurant menus? To answer that,
let’s examine the National Restaurant Association’s 2015 Culinary Forecast.
Among the top 10 food trends identified in this survey, three pertain
to locally sourced ingredients. Obviously, one can’t locally produce
cacao or sugar. But applying the term to what’s possible in
confectionery, the trend could be more generally applied to local,
made-by-your-neighborhood. The trend also underscores consumers’
interest in knowing the providence of the food they are eating. Some
relevant examples: specifying on the label the chocolate’s country of
origin or variety. Or, as John and Kira’s Chocolates have been doing for
years, partnering with nearby urban community gardens in Philadelphia,
Chicago, and Washington D.C. to source some of their ingredients (e.g.,
mint, rosemary and chile peppers) for their Urban Garden Chocolate Bar line.
Two additional trends in the Forecast’s top 10 involved environmental
sustainability. Fortunately, our major chocolate companies are
supporting such programs.
Among the survey’s top food picks with confectionery or dessert
connotations are doughnuts (+12% increase in interest from prior year),
ethnic condiments (+9%) – think Sriracha or oriental spice mixes –
gelato (+7%), and house-made artisan ice cream (+6%). Among the bottom
waning food trends were kale (-10%), gluten-free cuisine (-7%), Greek
yogurt (-6%), bacon-flavored chocolate (-5%) and natural sweeteners
(-5%).
So to summarize, trending confectionery flavor are naturally sweetened
confections, sweet/salty, sweet/heat, smoky, nutty, locally
sourced/made, and citrusy.
So, what flavors are yesterday’s news?
For Givaudan’s Angelo, yesterday’s news is super fruits. “They are
still being used, but are not usually called out with this terminology
anymore since they have moved to mainstream flavors.”
For Blue Pacific Flavors’ Wilkes, it’s artificial flavors and “natural”
labeling and “healthy claims” (too much potential litigation,
especially in regard to the KIND bar pending lawsuits).
For Sensient’s Myers, confections with extreme flavors, such as extreme
sour and extreme heat, and product shapes and flavors that provide a
“shock” factor are declining.
And that’s the wrap-up of this year’s premium confectionery flavor
trends. These trends underscore an industry continuously driven by
creativity and innovation to keep consumers excited. They also show an
industry actively reformulating recipes to satisfy consumers’ demand for
products with healthier ingredients.